1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a procedure or method of draining a patient's sinus maximus by creating a temporary passage to a nasal cavity.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The maxillary sinus is an air-filled space clad with mucous membrane and opening through a narrow discharge passage into the nose under the middle nose scoop. An inflammation of the maxillary sinus is accompanied by the generation of pus by an inflamed mucous membrane. Usually, pus discharge is possible from the maxillary sinus to the nose through the normal discharge passage. However, for a severe inflammation of the maxillary cavity, so much pus is produced that it cannot be discharged through the normal discharge opening, or alternatively the mucous membrane in the discharge passage is thickened by the inflammation thereby closing the discharge opening.
Maxillary sinusitis has been generally treated with repeated so-called classical antral lavages. These classical antral lavages are painful for the patient, and unpleasant and time-consuming for the doctor. The antral lavages are frequently followed by the administration of various drugs. If the condition becomes chronic, a Claue operation or a Caldwall-Luc operation is also performed.
The purpose of an antral lavage is the removal of pus from the maxillary sinus. In a classical antral lavage under a local anaesthetic the partition wall between nose and maxillary sinus is pierced under the lower nose scoop. This partition wall successively consists of nose mucous membrane, bone, and periosteum at both sides of the bone and mucous membrane in the maxillary sinus. The mucous membrane on the nose side is locally anaesthetized. However, the mucous membrane on the maxillary sinus side, the periosteum adjacent the bone and the bone itself are not anaesthetized. The partition wall between nose and maxillary sinus is pierced with an antral lavage needle. After the antral lavage needle has pierced the partition wall the maxillary sinus is rinsed with a rinsing fluid. After rinsing, the needle is retracted into the nose and thereafter removed. The hole made in the partition wall by the needle heals within a day. Within several days, pus may be produced again and the whole procedure must be repeated.
The classical antral lavages are continued until the maxillary sinus stops producing pus. Typically, a relatively large number of such operations are required before the condition is required, with five being about average.
These repeated classical antral lavages are rather time-consuming for patient and physician. For each classical antral lavage the nose must be locally anaesthetized as described above. The local anaesthesia takes effect in about fifteen minutes so that at least 20 minutes are required for each antral lavage.
The treatment of the maxillary sinusitis with classical antral lavages thus means for the patient at least on the average five, painful, unpleasant and time-consuming treatments and for the physician at least on the average five unpleasant and time-consuming treatments of the patient.